Tongue Tied
by Remaerd
Summary: AU, Oneshot. Sometimes words just don't work for Aang.


**AN:** It has been far too long since I have entertained you all. School has had me swamped (I honestly thought being a senior would mean less work… I was very much disappointed). This is an AU, oneshot. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender, just using the characters for creative purposes.

* * *

**Tongue Tied**

* * *

Aang looked thoroughly over Katara's outfit with a sheepish smile. "That's uh… that's a lot of blue."

It took Aang less than a minute to figure out that what he just said to Katara, in front of her boyfriend Jet worst of all, was one of the stupidest things to say in the world. Especially to the girl you've liked since grade school.

"I guess it is…" Katara looked like she was desperately trying to find something to ease up the awkward lunchroom conversation. "I like blue." She shrugged her shoulders with a small smile.

Aang wanted to die. He wanted to crawl underneath a rock and hide himself from this shame and embarrassment. Jet, on the other hand, was clutching his stomach in laughter and wiping his eyes.

Jet slapped Aang on the back, hard, making him wince. "That was funny. You are one funny little guy. How about you go on a double date with me and Katara tonight? We could use a little humor."

"_Jet,_ stop it." Katara gave him a sharp look that even Aang could feel piercing into his skin.

"What?" Jet tried to look innocent. Unfortunately, he wasn't good at looking innocent. "I'm sure this handsome fellow would love to bring his girl On Ji. It could be fun."

Aang knew a tease when he saw one, and that is exactly what Jet was. A tease. Someone who liked to prick at your skin, but in a way that made you feel almost bad for them. Like they knew no better. But Jet, Jet knew better.

"Actually, we broke up." Aang shrugged indifferently.

For a minute, Katara looked surprise. Jet was not surprised at all, his smirk was indication of that.

"What happened?"

"It just… wasn't working out." Upon seeing Katara's sympathetic face he added, "No biggie. Breakups happen y'know? Some people just aren't meant to be."

"But you guys seemed so happy together…"

"Yeah, well… not everything is what it seems."

Katara nodded her head, but she really didn't understand what he meant by that. And Aang knew she never would.

* * *

Aang and Katara had their first fight over the phone three months later. In years to come he would wonder if it was even really a fight.

"_WHAT_? You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Aang could almost _see_ the steam coming out the phone. Katara's voice had grown quite loud in a matter of seconds.

"It's just a date Katara." He sighed and laid back onto his bed, wishing it would swallow him up whole. "My butt is not on fire." He tried to joke.

Katara chose to ignore Aang's sarcastic comment. "So you're just going to ditch our movie night, just like that."

The words came out harsher than Katara had planned, but Aang's words are what really got her.

"It's not even _our_ movie night anymore!" he shouts, not out of anger but out of betrayal. He took a deep breath to calm down, because the last person he wants to get mad at is Katara. "What I'm trying to say is, it's not just us anymore. It's me, you, and _Jet_. I'm sure you guys will have a perfectly nice time without me."

Katara didn't mean to say that they would and then hang up. She was flooded with anger and some other emotion she refused to delve into.

* * *

Four years after high school, things changed. Katara and Aang were unable to see each other for several months at a time. Work schedules and Aang still going to university always seemed to get in the way.

The sun was just setting through the blinds of the coffee shop when Katara arrived. Once she spotted Aang sitting in the corner booth, her face broke out into a huge smile that reached her eyes.

Aang got up with wide open arms, ready to embrace his long-time friend.

"It's been too long." Her voice was muffled into the side of his neck and Aang couldn't help but smile at the feel of her breath.

"It really has," he agreed quietly.

Katara stared at Aang with big blue eyes once they both got into their respective booth sides. Her caramel face was slightly flushed from the cold winter air outside. He grew nervous at her gaze and scanned his brain for something to divert her attention.

He passed her the warm Styrofoam cup sitting next to his own, hoping that would work. "I know you like hot chocolate instead of coffee… so I uh, got you some." He gestured a gloved hand toward her cup.

Katara smiled at him with a sparkle in her eyes. "Thank you Aang." She took a sip of her hot chocolate but kept her gaze locked on him. She pointed to the short dark brown locks on his head and said, "I see you are growing out your hair."

Aang nodded.

"You look really good." She cleared her throat once realizing what she'd let slip out. "I mean, your hair. It looks really good. But so do you. You look… good." She looked him up and down approvingly.

"Thanks. Your hair looks good too." Pause. "And so do you." Pause. "I mean both of you, look good." Pause. "Your hair and you, both look good." A pink tint covered his pale face and he went for some of his coffee in order to hide it.

"Sooo… are you seeing anybody?" Katara asked after a while of easygoing conversation between this and that.

"Nope, relationships are complicated."

Katara nodded mutely.

Aang scratched his head. He sensed the tension and tried to lighten things. "Are you still with Jet?"

Katara frowned and shook her head looking like she had just tasted something extremely sour and couldn't get the taste out of her mouth. "No. He's a jerk."

"Yeah, he is isn't he?"

Katara reached across the table and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "Be nice," she warned jokingly.

"Yes ma'am." Aang laughed and took some more coffee into his system. He almost spit it all out at what Katara said next.

"I'm honestly surprised you're still single. You're such a great guy."

The way she was looking at him made Aang ten times more nervous than he already was. She almost looked like she was expecting something. Something Aang could never give her. "So… how's Sokka?"

The subject change seemed to work. He was thankful for that.

* * *

Two years later Katara still managed to shock Aang with her words.

"Jet asked me to marry him last night."

"WHAT? _Why_?"

No matter how many times Aang tried to wrap his head around what Katara said, he couldn't. It stung him in so many ways. Those words were words he never wanted to hear come out her mouth. And yet, here she was saying them.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it's because he loves me." She looked at him like the answer was obvious. But the words were only words to Aang. They had no real meaning when they came out of her mouth. They were too hollow… too empty to be love.

He got up from the table and slammed his fist onto the island in his kitchen, making crystal glasses shutter. He wanted to break something. No, he wanted to hurt somebody. It was the first time he ever really wanted to hurt somebody in his life. He wanted to hurt Jet for coming back into Katara's life and sweeping her off her feet in less than a year. It wasn't fair. It never would be fair.

Katara watched Aang through glassy eyes. Again, there she sat, waiting for something. And there, Aang stood, not knowing what to give.

"Does he make you happy?" Aang asked her looking directly into her eyes.

It was a low question, and if she wasn't really listening, she would have missed it. "Yes." Her voice cracked immediately exposing the lie. She glanced down, not wanting to look into his grey eyes. "He does."

"Well then," Aang gave her a sardonic smile, "that's all that matters. Isn't it?"

* * *

One year ago, Aang took Katara to the zoo. Something he had been very adamant about doing for a long time.

"Well, that was fun." Aang smiled when Katara looped her arm through his as they treaded through the halfway empty parking lot. It was now closing time.

"It was." She sighed blissfully, a look of serene resting on her face.

"For our next date, we should go skydiving. I _really_ wanna try that… with a parachute though," Aang joked.

The joke evaded Katara, her whole mind zoning in on one word. "Is that what this is? A date?" She smiled playfully at Aang with a raised eyebrow.

Aang turned whiter than a ghost. "Yes. No. I mean, of course not. I—"

"Hey," Katara's smile softened at his nervous rambling, "calm down. Next time, just ask me out properly, okay?" she teased. He immediately changed the topic of discussion and Katara went along with it.

Aang never did ask her out properly, because words just didn't work when it came to Katara.

* * *

Aang couldn't sleep the night Katara told him Jet asked her to marry him. It felt as if every piece of his world was crumbling right before his face. He lay in bed for hours, overcome with anger, until he got the nerve to do something about it. Glancing at his phone on his nightstand, he made the ultimate decision to text Katara.

**Hey, are you awake?**

The reply came a few minutes later, just when Aang was beginning to doubt his action.

**Yeah.**

He had to be smooth with it now. He sat straight up in his bed and tried to think of something.

**Wanna play a game?**

It sounded lame once he read it back to himself, but it was too late change it now. He was honestly surprised at Katara's answer.

**Sure.**

The tips of his fingers gripped the phone. He hadn't thought it out this far. He honestly didn't expect Katara to be awake, much less respond to him. She had seemed rather upset earlier.

His phone vibrating drew him from his thoughts. He read the new message and before he knew it, he was tossing on sweatpants, an oversized t-shirt, and fetching his car keys. He was in his car in no time and cruising down the highway.

Aang parked his car in the driveway of Katara's house. When he got to the door, he took a deep breath. He took his cellphone out and re-read the message. Maybe she didn't mean to send it to him. Doubt immediately set in his stomach; despite it he ringed the doorbell.

Deep breathing was quickly becoming a habit for Aang. Minutes seemed like hours as he stood in front of the white door glowing in the moonlight. Finally, Katara answered the door.

They stood there for a-while, just staring at each other.

"I told him no."

Aang tilted his head to the side. "You told him no?"

Katara took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "Jet. I told Jet no. I don't want to marry him."

Aang was really confused now. He highly doubted it didn't show. "Why? He loves you, doesn't he?"

Katara glanced around Aang. Although it was nighttime (more like early morning now) and most people were sleeping, she didn't feel comfortable discussing this outside. She grabbed his hand and pulled him inside, closing the door behind them. A small candle burned nearby the door giving both of their faces a sort of glow.

"He's all talk Aang," she explained, looking him directly in the eyes. "Words are just words when there's no action. And love… real unadulterated love… requires action, not just words."

Aang nodded.

It remained quiet for several moments, the only sounds coming from the flickering flame in the corner and their breathing.

"I'm sorry."

Katara looked up at Aang with a curious expression. "For wha-"

She never got the chance to finish her sentence. Aang cut her off by placing a soft but sincere kiss to her lips. He pulled away but remained hovering above her, his arms wrapped protectively around her waist. "I'm sorry for not being good with words."

Katara couldn't help but chuckle. She cupped his cheek and smiled. "Words don't always work."

"Words like I love you do," he corrected, leaning his forehead against hers. "But don't just take my word for it."

And Katara never had to.

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**REVIEWS ARE WELCOME**


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